Exodus 32:1-33:23, Matthew 26:69-27:14, Psalm 33:1-11, Proverbs 8:33-36
Today is the 11th day of February, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian. It is wonderful to be here with you today. Today, coming to you from the Galilee. We have left the wilderness behind and have arrived in the Galilee last evening. And so, today, we get to begin to immerse ourselves in this part of the country and in this part of the Bible. And looking for this evening to our live broadcast. And I say this evening, because that’s what it will be for us, but depending on where you are in the world, like back in the United States that’ll be midday. Nevertheless, we’ll talk about all that in a little bit, but first let’s dive in and take the next step forward in the Scriptures, and our next step leads us back into the book of Exodus. Moses has been with God on Mount Sinai and God has been revealing the tabernacle and the priesthood and the functions and the wardrobe and the construction, he's…he’s been kind of laying out what’s gonna organize the people. Meanwhile, the people have been down at the bottom of the mountain and Moses isn’t coming back. And they’re starting to wonder about that. And that is where we pick up the story, Exodus chapters 32 and 33 today.
Prayer:
Father, we thank You for Your word. We thank You for bringing us through another week. We thank You for bringing us here into the land of the Bible and now that we’ve landed in the Galilee, and we begin to chase down Your story Jesus and experience the north of the country. We ask that Your Holy Spirit, lead and guide us, whether we are here in person or whether we’re virtually traveling, lead and direct us, lead us on the pathways of wisdom, lead us deeper into intimacy with You, in union with You, guide our steps. We pray in the name of Jesus, we ask. Amen.
Announcements:
Okay so, as I mentioned at the beginning, we have arrived in the Galilee region, and we’ll be centering ourselves in this part of the country for the next several days. We climbed our way from the lowest points on earth, we’re still below sea level here at the Sea of Galilee. But we’ve climbed up a lot so, the low point, I guess, geographically anyway, the low point of the journey is behind us. And we began our journey yesterday at the…at the Dead Sea, that’s where we spent the night. And our first stop of the day was at the oasis Ein Gedi and Ein Gedi is mentioned several times in the Bible. So, it’s definitely a geographical location in the…in the biblical narrative a number of times. And so, we kind of explored that and there’s caves all over that area. And so, there’s caves all along the oasis of Ein Gedi, early monks had gone to live in the deserts, but also David hiding from Saul in the caves of Ein Gedi. We don’t know the exact cave and there’s some traditions, but we don’t know the exact cave, but he cut off a piece of Saul’s robe there in that area. And so, we talked about that, and we opened up the book of second Chronicles and read a story from King Jehoshaphat’s life when an army came across the Dead Sea, allied armies from different nations to attack Jerusalem and their staging area was kind of Ein Gedi, which makes sense, that’s freshwater in the wilderness. So, we just pretty much read the 20th chapter of second Chronicles, which is that story and applied it to our lives as we contemplated leaving the wilderness. And what the wilderness has meant to us, not only on this journey but in our lives. And then our next stop, maybe half an hour up the road a little bit, was at Qumran where one of the greatest archaeological finds in history was found and that being the Dead Sea scrolls. So, exploring that story as it connects to biblical scholarship and the find there and would it has represented. And the Assin people, who preserve these documents and their story. And so, we explored that a little bit, did a little shopping there. And then next, moved to the Jordan River for baptisms outside of Jericho, where the Bible tells us that Jesus was baptized because that’s where John was baptizing people. And so, there are places there at the Jordan River both on the Israeli and the Jordanian side for…for baptism, this tradition goes back a long, long ways. And so. we went down there, and it wasn’t a disappointment in any way. It was very, very frigid water, as it always is, very cold, take your breath away kind of cold. But the shock of it definitely sears it into your memory, and that is probably important when…when you are claiming your devotion to Jesus unto death and willing to leave behind who you were without him, in those waters that are flowing down to the Dead Sea. And so, it couldn’t be more appropriate. And so, it was a joy and humbling privilege to be there and to witness that and to participate in that, and to have a moment with so many who are traveling along with us. They are standing in the Jordan River, leaving behind everything that was who we were without Christ. And so, that is, that is always a deeply, deeply humbling and very moving time and but it’s cold as well. And so, we did that and finished up. And then kind of moved kinda from the Jordan River way, way up high overlooking Jericho, looking down into Jericho and looking at the ancient pathways up to Jerusalem, it was a really clear day. So, it was an opportunity for us to really see the Judean wilderness where Jesus was tempted, to look down into Jericho and see that and then we could see the Mount of Olives all the way from there. And so, it was a really good glimpse of the…the difference in geography or the difference in altitude. Jerusalem is much higher than Jericho is and from Jericho up to Jerusalem is up, uphill the whole way. So, we just kind of explored some of that and just oriented ourselves a little bit. We talked about Jesus story of the good Samaritan, talked about the valley of the shadow of death. And then we came down the mountain and began the head toward the Galilee. A little bit of stop, we weren’t able to go into Jericho proper, this time. Normally we would go for lunch there. But there have been some activities that need to take place and that is keeping people out for safety reasons and so, we don’t ever take any chances like that. And so, we bypassed that and headed for the Galilee. And it’s a couple of hour drive, I guess, from there. Maybe two and half hours but we get to see the change in the geography as we’re climbing out of the open wilderness and things become more and more green the further north we go, kind of following along the Jordanian border really, really beautiful drive. It was a really beautiful drive on a really beautiful day. So, we get to enjoy the sunset and arrived within view of the Sea of Galilee as the sun had set and we we’re just watching some of the colors in the sky. And we had to drive really the length of the Sea of Galilee from…from South to North and that was really, really beautiful and checking into our hotel when we get to finally unpack for a few days. Kinda, we’ve been wandering in the wilderness, and it feels like it’s been forever, it’s just been a couple of days, but all the jostling around kind of comes to a little bit of a stop. We finally can unpack and just know that we’re coming back the same place for a few nights, as we explore this region. So, we got checked in and I went out on the porch and the sky was just glowing red as the sun had set. And there was just exploding with color and, I don’t know, every time I get here, something in me exhales and…and that was, that was true of arriving this time. And so, today we’re gonna explore around this area, we have several places to visit. And I will be able to tell you about that, after we do it. So, that will have to wait till tomorrow, but thank you for your continued prayers over us. Thank you for being here virtually as we are here physically representing everybody and looking forward to sharing every step of the journey all along the way. And we continue to post as things are happening on social media. So, you can go and can follow along and check that out.
Tonight, and I say tonight, but it’s not necessarily gonna be tonight for everybody. It’s gonna be today or this morning for some people, but at 730 this evening. So, like in the rolling hills of Tennessee that’s 1130 in the morning on Saturday. And you’d have to kind of check wherever it is the difference between Tel Aviv and where you may be, but we’ll be going on Facebook live and coming together as a community and just sharing some of our experiences thus far. And so, looking forward to that. Thank you for your continued prayers, as we continue the journey forward. And that is all I can tell you because that is what is happened so far, and I’ll look forward to telling you more as it happens.
But that’s it for today, I’m Brian, I love you and I’ll be waiting for you here, tomorrow.
Prayer and Encouragements:
This is Morgan from Texas, today is February the 5th. I heard a prayer about this young man about him as a parent, as a father. And so, my prayers for you sir. Heavenly Father, I just pray for…for wisdom for this young man. I pray for peace and understanding. Lord, I pray that You flood him with the goodness of You, God. Cause You are a good Father. Lord, I pray for the situation and how life is that it’s not his fault. Yes, God gave us will but man Lord, You save us that it says in Your word that You never leave us, nor forsaken us. And Lord, I just pray for…for his children. I pray for the blood of Jesus over them. I pray for their protection, I pray for the fruit of the spirit upon his children: love, joy, peace, and patient and kindness and gentle and meekness. I pray for his boys, so they grow up to be a man of God. And that, yes, they see situations but Lord, I cancel that out in the name of Jesus, that what they see, they see the goodness of God. That a restoration for his boys, soften their heart, in Jesus name. And I pray for his daughters as well. Peace upon his daughters. Let them see, have their eyes open to see the situation they’re at, that this is not Godly. Conviction revealed in Jesus name. And Lord, I just pray that as this father goes through his day that You show the goodness of God. That You show and remind him and send Your Godly people over his behalf. In Jesus name. Amen.
Hello DAB family, this is God’s Tree, for I have many branches, but I’m rooted in the word of God. I want to thank those that have been praying for me. I expressed a couple of weeks ago about heart being broken by my husband of 29 years. And we were in the process of planning our 30th wedding anniversary. And I found out about some things about him that had broke my heart. So, now I’m in space where I’m seeking God in what direction to go with our relationship. Should I continue or should I stay. I have people in my ear who tell me to let the marriage go, he did wrong, and etc. etc. But in my world, I’ve invested 29 years of relationship and I married him before God, and I believe that God wanted me to stay in this relationship. So, I’m just asking that you all pray for me and him for restoration, for understanding, and for the enemy to take his hands out of the situation. Because what God put together no man could put us under, and I know God put us together. I’m pressing forward and I’m trusting God and that’s all I can do. I don’t want to look like a fool but at the same time I want to trust and believe God. So, I ask that you continue to lift me up and I will lift you up. For God gets the glory out of all of it anyway. God bless you and I love you DAB family. And again, thank you all for thinking of me and praying for me.
Hi, my name is Roesha, aka Ro. I’m calling on behalf of my brother Roy, broken with the purpose, who’s incarcerated. But he’s been doing the Daily Audio Bible readings since the first of the year and it’s ya’lls prayers on the hotline that has really spoke to his heart. Mainly, this call, because of those who are depressed, or having social anxiety or suicidal thoughts, he wants to reach out to you with a testimony of why hurt people, hurt other people or themselves. Since he was 11 years old, he’s held in a lot of hurt, shame and pain and didn’t blame God or those who caused it. He only blames himself and spent 24 years doing everything he could to carry that instead of talking about it. Which led to him hurting others. Secret struggles like homosexuality and abuse towards himself from a stepfather who wanted to beat him into being a man, when at the same time the stepfather would hurt his mother and sisters and the fact he couldn’t protect them, made him feel less than a man and made him hate himself. Then, finally he hurt other people, like him, who are broken and found himself in the pit of despair and brokenness. And instead of talking about it, he held it all in until he found himself in a cell, surrounded by people on death row, wanting to live and he just wanted to die. Because no one knows how he feels inside and that’s when God told him, he was not alone, and His grace is sufficient enough for him. And He has called him by name to bring him out and tell his story of hurt, shame and pain. And God desired to take it all away. Paul could talk about what no one wants to out of fear of not being understood, how it feels to be alone surrounded by people who don’t know your shame. How it feels to hate what you have become, to not know who you are. Well God knew, God knows and God cares.
Hello Daily Audio Bible family again, this is Brennan from behind the fence down in Hamilton Correctional in Florida. First off, just thanking God for the prayers that I’ve heard, for the camp here, and just praising God that prayers have been answered. The violence and the stabbings that had been happening have basically ceased, since we began to pray. We’ve not had any kind of those I believe, in almost three weeks. Men’s lives are being changed. And God’s been good to me. I’ve got placed in a faith-based dorm. Got accepted into a seminary school. So, God is just moving but it’s Satan is also beginning to threaten attacks against my family with some men in here as well. So, but God is faithful. And right now, I just wanna stand on His word and thank God and just claim that no weapon formed against us shall prosper. That every mouth that is risen against us shall be silenced in Jesus name. And just pray for the campfire, the all the families and those represented Lord, I just ask that You would bless them right now, Lord God. Want to thank you for this community and for all the prayers that come in, Lord God. I uplift Sheena and God’s Yellow Flower and those in Canada, Lord God. And Lord, uplift our country. Lord, I ask that You would just intervene in my family’s life, Lord God. That You would continue to help us to look to You, to trust You, to honor You in doing all that we do, Lord God. Even when we don’t understand it, Lord God, I pray for Shawn and his family right now, Lord God. And I pray for financial blessing and direction and ministry, Lord God. And doors to be open and Lord, You are a good God. And we just honor You and we praise You and I just lose Your power, Your Holy Spirit, in these situations. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. Be blessed DAB family again, it’s Frank from Behind the Fence. Love ya’ll, praying for ya’ll and we could use an uplift at Hamilton Correctional. In Jesus name. Amen.
Father, in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, I stand in the gap today for my brothers and sisters. I lift up families today. I take authority over everything that will stop families. Husbands and wives. I take authority over fighting and arguing. I take authority over a rebellious children, children who are disrespectful to their parents. In the name of the Lord Jesus, I call forth, right now, husbands and wives to come together. In the mighty name of Jesus, Father, we thank You, oh God, for Your word, for Your word is true. You said, ____ Your word, not come to pass. You said, heaven and earth would pass away. We stand on Your word. Oh God, we thank You for deliverance today, in the lives of Your people. Father, I lift up every man, every woman, every boy, every girl, Father, we thank You for saving and deliverance and setting free by Your mighty power. In Jesus name we pray, Amen. This is the Pastors Wife from Huntington. Thanking God for everyone. Be blessed.